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葦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
葦wěireedx, 13 strokes, radical 艹
wěi(wei3) T3
  1. 1reed
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

葦wěi(wei3)

The character 葦 (wěi) refers to a type of tall, slender grass known as reed, commonly found in wetlands and along riverbanks. It is often associated with natural landscapes and can be used both literally and symbolically in literature and poetry to evoke imagery of fragility and resilience.

Strokes13Radical艹
Cultural Note

In Chinese poetry, reeds are often used as metaphors for flexibility and endurance, reflecting the philosophy of adapting to life's challenges while remaining grounded. The famous poet Qu Yuan also wrote about reeds in his works, emphasizing their beauty and strength.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'weighing' scale (wěi) tipping over as a reed sways in the breeze. The character 葦 has the radical for 'plant' (艹) on top, which connects it to nature, while the bottom part sounds like 'weigh,' helping you remember its pronunciation.

Meanings of 葦

wěi(wei3)
1reed
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 葦

葦Simplified
13Strokes
艹Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 葦

JasonAmy

Podcast: 葦

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 葦

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 葦 with similar characters, such as 藪 (sǒu), which means thicket. This word is mostly used in literary contexts rather than everyday speech, so it's more formal than informal. Common collocations include 葦荡 (wěidàng) meaning 'reed marsh.'

HSK Study Tips

Though 葦 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it can be beneficial for advanced learners focusing on nature-related terms. Students should pay attention to the radicals and their meanings, as well as how this word connects to other flora-related vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 葦 by forgetting the falling-rising tone, saying it as 'wei' instead of 'wěi.' Also, some might confuse it with related characters, leading to incorrect usages in context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 葦

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Etymology of 葦

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 韦 represents the sound. Simplified form of 葦.

Memory Hint

grass

Semantic (meaning)艹
+
Phonetic (sound)韋
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 葦

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 韦 represents the sound. Simplified form of 葦.

  1. 1The meaning half艹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half韋 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaygrass
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 葦? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 葦?

Decomposition of 葦

IDS Structure⿱艹韋
葦Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
韋wei2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 葦?

How to say reed in Chinese

“reed” in Chinese is葦wěi

The character 葦 (wěi) refers to a type of tall, slender grass known as reed, commonly found in wetlands and along riverbanks. It is often associated with natural landscapes and can be used both literally and symbolically in literature and poetry to evoke imagery of fragility and resilience.

When to use 葦

Be careful not to confuse 葦 with similar characters, such as 藪 (sǒu), which means thicket. This word is mostly used in literary contexts rather than everyday speech, so it's more formal than informal. Common collocations include 葦荡 (wěidàng) meaning 'reed marsh.'

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 葦 by forgetting the falling-rising tone, saying it as 'wei' instead of 'wěi.' Also, some might confuse it with related characters, leading to incorrect usages in context.

Write 葦

葦

Practice writing 葦 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 葦

Words Containing This Character4
苇wěireed葦
芦苇reed蘆葦
苇席reed mat葦席
苇箔reed matting葦箔
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 苇 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 葦

It is pronounced as 'wěi', with a falling-rising tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 葦?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.